ENERGY MONITORING

Site Survey

1 | PARTS AND SAFETY

Before beginning installation, make sure you have all needed parts for the Energy Monitoring System and safety gear to complete the job. Below is a comprehensive list of what you should have with helpful diagrams:

SAFETY FIRST

Always remember that even when you switch the main disconnect off, the main conductors coming from the meter are always energized!

Always wear the appropriate safety gear and use caution around lines carrying live electrical current!

2 | INSTALLATION

TURN OFF THE POWER

Notify the customer that you will be cutting power temporarily while you install the Energy Monitor.
Turn the main disconnect to the "off" position before you do anything else.

ENERGY MONITOR OVERVIEW

The diagram to the right shows the full layout of the Energy Monitor with all the ports:

All ports are 3.5mm headphone jack type ports.
The top three ports are for the Current Transformers that will be connected to the Main Conductors coming from the Meter.
The side ports are for each Current Transformer that will be connected to circuit breakers.

WI-FI

The Energy Monitor will rely on the home Wi-Fi to be able to transmit data that the user can see.
The Wi-Fi antenna will need to be connected using the external threaded Wi-Fi connector.
- Make sure to slide the cover over the connection once threaded in.
You will need to push out one of the factory punch-outs on the existing box to mount the antenna on the exterior of the box either on the side or bottom.
- Make sure to utilize the rubber cover to seal the punch-outs
- Always map out the layout of the monitor, antenna, and all the equipment before you start messing with punch-outs.

CT ORIENTATION

Next, well connect the CTs but it is important to note the orientation that should be used.

Make sure the arrow is inline with the flow of electricity:
- The arrow should always be pointing from where the energy is coming from to where that energy is going to.

PLACING CTS ON LIVE SERVICE CONDUCTORS

This part will always require more caution as the main conductors will always be energized, even when the main breaker is off.

do not touch any exposed wire
do not use any tools near the main lugs.

you should be able to very simply attach the CTs without needing to adjust the main conductors much if at all.

EXAMPLE

Note that for the main conductors, we need to get both of the current carrying wires:
- they may both have black insulation but it is possible that you may have one with black insulation and the other with red insulation
Do not attach CTs to any white or bare metal wire.

Always cap off any connectors we are not using:

For residential projects, there will only be 2 CTs used on the main conductors.
The third is only used for 3-phase (commonly seen on commercial buildings)
- 3-phase is also apparently common in Europe, but we are not in Europe.
- Always assume a normal single phase set up with only 2 current carrying main conductors.

PLACING CTS ON CIRCUIT BREAKER CONDUCTORS

Follow a similar process now, and place CTs on conductors connected directly to branch breakers:

We only need to connect to about 8 circuits.

For 2 Pole Breakers (those occupying two spaces sharing a single handle) only one wire needs a CT connected to it.

Make sure to label what circuit each CT is attached to on paper when mapping out the setup. This will make the set up process much easier!

EXAMPLE

The images below demonstrate what the installation of these CTs should look like:

Notice the photo on the top left.
- The 2 pole breaker only has one CT connected to one of the wires.
Do not attach CTs to any white or bare metal wire.

Cap off any ports not being used for CTs.

WIRING THE ENERGY MONITOR USING THE WIRE HARNESS

The wire harness plugs into the bottom of the Energy Monitoring Device.

It is important to wire the energy monitor correctly so that the monitor will be constantly supplied with power and for voltage monitoring purposes.

White and blue wires should always land on the neutral bar.
- Look for other white/gray wires if you're unsure where the neutral bar is.
The black and red wires can be connected directly to a single pole each on on unused breaker (if available).

When there are not two breaker spaces available, you will need to use the lug nut connectors to splice these wires to existing wires:

disconnect the existing circuit wires from these breakers.
insert them into the lug nuts.
Insert the coordinating wires from the wire harness into the lug nuts.
Insert the additional wires that come with the installation kit into the coordinating lug nuts.
Secure the connection by twisting the lug nuts counter clockwise.
The the extra wires will now be used to connect both the breaker circuit and the the wire from the wire harness to the breaker.

See diagram to the right:

EXAMPLE

The images below demonstrate how to utilize lug nuts to splice the new wires to the existing breakers. Be sure to use zip ties to clean up wire management.

TURN THE POWER BACK ON

Next, make sure to help the customer set up the app for monitoring.
Ensure the main disconnect is switched back on before moving on.

3 | APP SETUP

To prepare for this step, you need to make sure you have access to the customer's account info for their Ecobee Thermostat (as applicable) and that there is a 2.4GHz Wifi connection avaialbe for the Energy Monitor to connect to.

SET UP ENERGY MONITOR

First, Scan the QR Code on the Monitor with the customer's phone to begin set up:
- The customer will need to create an account; it is recommended that this account mirror the credentials that the customer is using for their Ecobee Thermostat (if they have one)

- - They will need to provide a 6 digit code to verify their email, so make sure they double check their email before proceeding.
  - Select "Emporia Vue Gen 2" as the device setup.

- - Since you have already installed the device, select "Go directly to setup"
  - Now connect to the energy monitor:
    - Make sure blue tooth is on for this step.
    - Make sure you are standing within 5' of the energy meter.

- - Now connect to the customer's Wifi:
    - Note that 5G networks will not be compatible with the Energy Monitor.

The example network on the right would not work!

Make sure to stay within 5 feet of the Energy Monitor until it is fully connected.

Choose the next step as "I have Solar/Generation"
Name the Energy Monitor:
- Default to this naming convention:

"[Customer Last Name] Home"

Stay within 5 feet of the Energy Monitor until all firmware updates are completed.

RENAME EACH CIRCUIT

Now we need to name our CTs according to what we mapped out at install:
- Hit the three bar drop down tab in the upper left to begin this step.

You will need to go into each circuit and manually change it.

make sure to name it according to what you mapped out at install:
- Make sure to choose the most relevant Circuit Type drop down selection.
- For 2 pole breakers, the Circuit Multiplier should be changed to 2.0
- For 1 pole breakers, the Circuit Multiplier Should be 1.0